Micheal Clarke doesn’t need a bandwagon

Nathan Lyon

Shane Watson

Ryan Harris

Yes, all Australian cricketers we are secretly hoping will bite into one too many a chilli on our little pearl island and ends up needing to fly to a hospital in a air taxi with Tony Greig. Actually we are not quite sure which one of those would be worse. Oh yes I did, I just dissed the honorary Sri Lankan.

Also, these are all cricketers who have recently been rewarded with Bandwagons, although why one would want to be on a bandwagon for Shane Watson is beyond us. They played in a test in Sri Lanka. They won. And now everyone’s all like – Nathan Lyon the Aussie spin savior, Shane Watson – the douche who finally became an ok cricketer. Ryan Harris – the girls are all like – you can nip one into me any day Rhino.

One guy who’s hardly got a mention in all this is Pup Micheal Clarke. Hussey won the man of the match but it was Micheal Clarke who sealed the deal for any significant SL fight back with that waltz in the 2nd dig. It was he who brought on Watson in both innings that much broke SLs back twice. He even brought on ol grumpy at one stage – ok, so Clarke might still have some learning to do.

It is Clarke who has been tasked with traveling to a part of the world where Aus had not won game since 2006 with a bunch of newbies. Even more so, it is he who has been stuck with the task of getting Australia out of the gutter they are in after being on the street and bullying everyone for ages. Clarke never fit into that era of cricket where Aus dominated. That team was filled with those old school Aussies who hardly ever smiled and just looked pissed and drunk.

Clarke was a new age Aussie cricketer, tattooed and actually good at playing spin. And with the men he has under him now – he looks like he finally fits in. On the flip side, it appears – at least on the basis of one game – as if though those men respond to Clarke as well. Ponting could never assert his own mark on the captaincy as the greats before him. Border, Taylor, Waugh – they all had their unique way and left their legacy. Ponting will always be remembered for losing the Ashes – thrice. Count them. Not one, Not two – Three times.

Clarke in one game already seems to have stamped his mark on the way he will lead this side. Aggressive but not outlandishly so. Safety first but experimental. And above all he seems to have brought together a bunch of new age guys – just like him – who are extremely proud to be wearing their baggy green. I’ve always seen Clarke as a bit soft, but after this game, I think it masks a greater hunger to see Australia rise back to the top under him. The one thing I always liked about him was his commitment to test cricket – a rare thing in these IPL and 2020 days. Clarke might not be Alan Border but he faces the same task – to a lesser extent, yes – to see his side rise back up. I doubt Border ever had a bandwagon when he played. Clarke might not need one either.

damiths

4 Comments

Well well well. So I see the rebuilt Australian team Has given you enough fodder for a little article. Seems someone may have their own “bandwagon”

All Australian’s look “pissed & drunk” this is how we lull the world into a false sense of security.

So punter lost the ashes three times. he certainly lost some cattle during his reign. There were times when it was like he was turning up to a knife fight with a sausage. The English/South African “Barabarians” team were too good. We can handle that. They can have the ashes for the interim. We still have and will always have the beach and cold beer.

Good luck to both sides in match 2 of the SL v AUS series! Let’s hope it’s a bit closer this time………

I bet True Blue Tassie Steve Randell used other means to lull those kids into a sense of security eh eh eh?

I actually liked the teams when they weren’t the blue eyed blondes with tattoos. I am yet to pass judgement on this team but I like what I see so far.

Yes, Poor little Ricky couldn’t win the Ashes with and without Warne and Mcgrath. Maybe he should just retire to a farm somewhere in Tasmania and see if he can produce an heir. How soft is he – going back home for a kids birth ? David Boon wouldn’t have done that. He would have been too drunk on Lion Beer – local ale – to even get to the airport.